A man makes his way from Mexico to L.A. in the 1920s, gets married and raises a big family there. The movie follows the children until they, too, get married and have children in the 1960s.
Director:
Gregory Nava
Stars:
Jimmy Smits,
Esai Morales,
Edward James Olmos
Mousie and Sad Girl are childhood best friends in a contemporary Los Angeles poor Hispanic neighborhood. But when Sad Girl becomes pregnant by Mousie's boyfriend, a drug dealer named ... See full summary »
Kid brother Chuco (Danny De La Paz) is a sullen low-rider still caught up in the life. Despite their differences, their family bond is strong. But that bond is violently tested when rivals ... See full summary »
Director:
Michael Pressman
Stars:
Richard Yniguez,
Danny De La Paz,
Marta DuBois
Follows the lives of three young males living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, dissecting questions of race, relationships, violence and future prospects.
Director:
John Singleton
Stars:
Cuba Gooding Jr.,
Laurence Fishburne,
Hudhail Al-Amir
Based on the true life experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on step-brothers Paco and Cruz, and their bi-racial cousin Miklo. It opens in 1972, as the three are members of an East L.A. gang known as the "Vatos Locos", and the story focuses on how a violent crime and the influence of narcotics alter their lives. Miklo is incarcerated and sent to San Quentin, where he makes a "home" for himself. Cruz becomes an exceptional artist, but a heroin addiction overcomes him with tragic results. Paco becomes a cop and an enemy to his "carnal", Miklo.
The Hispanic prison gang "La Onda," depicted in this film, is a fictional creation of Jimmy Santiago Baca and Taylor Hackford, but the gang is based on the real-life Mexican Mafia prison gang. The other two gangs depicted were the "BGA" (Black Guerrilla Army) and the "AV'ers" (Aryan Vanguard). They represented the real life gangs the Black Guerrilla Family and the Aryan Brotherhood, respectively. See more »
Goofs
The grenades that Smokey throws into club are standard issue military grenades. They don't have enough power to obliterate a whole building or start a fire as seen in the movie. See more »
Quotes
Paco:
What do you vatos want to do ese?
Spider:
Caele, homies.
Paco:
You gotta pay your dues to me, pinche mamón.
Spider:
You want to throw it out, puto? Come and get some. Chale, motherfucker!
Paco:
Man, fuck you. ¿You want another placazo bad ass? Come and get it motherfucker!
Spider:
Chinga tu madre! I will cut your fucking heart out, punk!
Coolaide:
ANDALE!
Paco:
And FUCK these other vatos, ese! ¡Get up Chucky, get up! You fuck with my familia eh, you got to answer to me, here and now come on, toe to toe.
[Chucky whistles]
Paco:
LET'S GO MOTHERFUCKER! ...
[...] See more »
Crazy Credits
"The bloody era of prison gang warfare, which characterized much of California's prison system during the decade depicted in this film, is now under control." See more »
Alternate Versions
The American Directors Cut DVD contains the following scenes:
There is an added scene between the one where Paco argues with his stepfather and the one where they get hassled by the cop. In it we see the guys driving and recalling moments in their childhood, smoking what seems to be joint and they get Miklo to do a " baby on acid face"
The scene where Cruz receives his scholarship is extended: He gives a speech and talks about his real mom who couldn't be there to see him receive his prize.
The scene where Popeye shows Miklo around is longer and contains more dialogue, including a death row inmate being escorted.
The art show scene is extended, Cruz and his buddies return high on drugs and his manager plays it off as part of the show.
There is an added scene before the one where Popeye takes his parole picture. In it Miklo and Popeye strike a deal: Miklo will erase Popeye's debt to La Onda in return Popeye will cast a vote for him in the council.
There is an added scene where Popeye stabs Smokey during a phony deal. It explains why Smokey is bleeding when he calls Paco and the blood on his shirt in the church.
After Montana is stabbed by Wallace, the prison riot sequence is longer with a cut scene containing more dialogue with the Onda council.
The final prison riot scene where Bonafide (the Black Guerilla Family leader) is murdered is more graphic where he is impaled.
K'in Sventa Ch'ul Me'tik Kwadalupe
from the Album MEXICO : FIESTAS OF CHIAPAS AND OAXACA
Recorded by David Lewiston
Courtesy of Elektra Nonesuch
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products See more »
I saw this movie by chance and was expecting it to be some low budget flick with gang fights in it, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good this movie was. I put the DVD in and was planning to only watch a few minutes before going to bed, but the movie was so good and interesting that I watched the whole thing.
I'm also surprised this movie didn't win many awards. I notice it only won best director in Japan. This should have at least been nominated for best picture (Schindler's List won that year).
And speaking of surprises, the plot has some good twists and surprises of its own.
26 of 36 people found this review helpful.
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I saw this movie by chance and was expecting it to be some low budget flick with gang fights in it, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good this movie was. I put the DVD in and was planning to only watch a few minutes before going to bed, but the movie was so good and interesting that I watched the whole thing.
I'm also surprised this movie didn't win many awards. I notice it only won best director in Japan. This should have at least been nominated for best picture (Schindler's List won that year).
And speaking of surprises, the plot has some good twists and surprises of its own.